Canes Freshman Phenom: Piotr Lomacki
By Daniel Sacerio
Being a freshman in college is full of challenges and can cause a lot of pressure for a student. But imagine starting your freshman year ranked No. 6 in the country according to the ITA Men’s Preseason Newcomer/Freshman Rankings and doing it all in a new country. But in three short months, University of Miami freshman Piotr Lomacki a native of Warsaw, Poland, has made an immediate impact on the collegiate tennis circuit.
Lomacki has already played against top competition, competing in three of the most prestigious tournaments in collegiate tennis. In his 13 collegiate matches, he has a phenomenal overall record of 8-5, with nine of his 13 matches against ITA Top 100 opponents. In those nine matches, he has gone 4-5, and in tough three-set matches, Lomacki has compiled an impressive 5-3 record.
His collegiate debut was at the Olympia Fields Country Club Invitational in Olympia Fields, Ill., where Lomacki beat No. 88 Quentin Monaghan from Notre Dame. Lomacki then played 2 other nationally ranked players. Although he lost to both, he did take No. 44 Tim Kopinski from the University of Illinois, to three sets, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
In his second tournament as a Cane, at the ITA All-American Championship in Tulsa, Okla., Lomacki beat No. 75 Alejandro Espejo from the host University of Tulsa in the second round of the qualifying round, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. Lomacki then continued his winning ways and beat No. 59 Bruno Semenzato from Duke University in the third round of the qualifying round to qualify for the main draw, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5). He then fell against No. 1 Julian Lenz from Baylor, after pushing him to three sets in the first round, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
In his third tournament at the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional Singles Championship in Athens, Ga., Lomacki would again beat ranked competition, defeating No. 50 Ben Wagland from the host University of Georgia in the Round of 16, 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-3. He then fell to No. 100 Maxx Limpan from Florida in the quarterfinals, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
But this is only one side of Lomacki’s game, as he is also a proud representative of his native Poland. On the international stage, Lomacki is currently ranked No. 794 in the ATP singles ranking and No. 934 in the doubles ranking. He also ranked the best junior player in Poland.
Prior to UM, Lomacki found success playing for his native country. In his most recent international tournament at the Poland F5 Futures, played from Aug. 18-24, Lomacki finished in the semifinals, defeating fellow countryman and No. 338 Piotr Gadominski along the way. Lomacki also played his way into the semifinals of the Estonia F2 Tournaments, and the quarterfinals of the Poland F4 and Poland F3, all outdoor clay court events. In 2013 he won the Ozerov Cup in Russia and played into the quarterfinal round of the 2013 Great Britain Futures Tournament.
The Polish native’s most recent accomplishment is being selected to the main draw, at the ITF Futures in Birmingham, Ala., set to begin on November 3. This tournament will pin Lomacki against the top young international talents. But Lomacki is far from being intimidated, as he is one of the few collegiate players to ever be selected to the main draw of this tournament. He will play his Round of 32 match against No. 714 Mikhail Fufygin from Russia. Play will begin Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Stay up to date with Lomacki this week at @ITF_Tennis. Always follow the Canes on HurricaneSports.com. To interact with the UM men’s tennis team socially, follow @CanesMensTennis on Twitter and like the team on Facebook.com/CanesMensTennis.
